Azir gameplay update thoughts

A Small (shitty) Essay on Why Option 2 Makes the Most Sense-------please Riot read (S)

Range and mobility- Currently Azir soldier's can be commanded 800 units away and can reach 375 units away. Effectively giving him 1175 AA range. This is of course problematic for a champion that also can dash 2k units, so which do you take away? the most unique gameplay mechanic in the game and arguably the only successful artillery (not poke) based mechanic currently in the game. OR a generic dash that many many champions have at this point. When Azir first came out people played him as a backline dps mage it was not until later when he was being pushed to his limits that the engage identity came into play. Players were happy with the backline dps style but his strength in starting team fights and picking champions with his “shurima shuffle” forced players to switch to a different style. This new pick focused style is what caused many players to feel like azir just had too much in his kit. As Azir’s full mobility was realized he became very oppressive. Before this however azir felt balanced and rewarding with soldier positioning. Simply put Azir was not a problem before the mobility in his kit was fully utilized, specifically E-Q instead of Q-E. (faker was still doing Q-E 3 months into azir’s release). The aspect of Azir’s kit that attracts players is the fact that you aren't on the frontline interacting in other champions faces much like xerath's appeal.

Champion Identity- This brings me to his identity as a champion. Azir to me and I’m sure to many players is seen as a general on the battlefield, commanding his soldiers to do his bidding for him. His mobility does not represent him as a champion whatsoever it feels thrown in from a time when every new champ was balanced around having 1 mobility skill plus flash. This is no longer the case and Azir’s core identity does not seem to give credence to the idea of him having mobility. The fantasy when you pick azir is centered on range and commanding his soldiers. Losing mobility does not take away from this fantasy and actually heightens Azir’s skill ceiling by not giving him a get out of jail free card. We azir player’s like high skill ceilings. Another point addressing identity is how unique they are of a champion, currently Azir is the only champion that uses his abilities as an extension of himself. Reducing his range would take away from that mechanic and would make him feel like every other champ that just plays an animation with sfx. This makes the champion feel binary in action. Take for example cassiopeia, you know what is going to happen you’re going to hit your q and trade well or you’re not, simple risk vs reward. Same sorta thing with ryze you can get around the minions to hit q or maybe they walk into the wave with flux on it for free dmg. Azir however allows a unique mechanic of having a constant zone of control, while being very weak when enemy champions move outside of that zone. Treating him like Cassio or ryze, where trades are buffered on a steroid or condition would again take away a unique gameplay mechanic. This is all to say Azir is unique in his identity he doesn't need to borrow from any other champion, his core identity and fantasy as a champion does not involve mobility but does require range.

Trading patterns/laning phase- Azir’s current laning phase is very weak to champions that can easily leave his zone of control such as zed, leblanc, ahri, kassadin. Reducing his mobility would allow these picks to capitalize on their own fantasy while increasing Azir’s skill floor. Currently however he can escape for free with his mobility against most of these champs. This is not fun for the Azir or the Leblanc player, Azir’s decisions and positioning during laning phase should be critical like every other hypercarry so that he can be shut down through jungle ganks and roams. Many players complain that azir is impossible to trade with due to his range, and this is true for many champions but he should be easily counterable by leaving his zone of control without Azir escaping.

Ability to Balance- Letting Azir have a core weakness in his mobility allows for easier damage tuning as well as not running into the problem of, hard to use, high mobility, engage skills such as Ryze R are used much better in competitive rather than solo q. If you were to give him mobility similar to live and reduce his range, he would still be just as oppressive due to the fact that the soldier auto or Q dmg would have to be so high. Option 2 also allows more champion diversity to be played against him because more than likely if his range were reduced his soldier AA dmg would be increased giving him faster wave clear, this would create a problematic situation similar to taliyah where you have to pick a champion to match her wave clear. Option 2 would allow you to keep soldier AA dmg low enough so that he can't permashove lanes in and roam, which is almost certainly what option 1 gives you. Option 2 allows more flexibility in balancing since he has very clear strengths and weakness.

Closing- Azir current kit is from a time in league where every champ released with a mobility skill. The thematics of Azir do not seem to suggest mobility of any kind. Azir should not have a get out of jail free card but he should have range as that is the fantasy of the champion itself, it was not until Azir’s mobility was fully realized that player’s thought he was oppressive. His core gameplay identity is commanding his soldiers from range not picking ad carries and starting teamfights. Having a clear weakness of mobility will allow easier balancing as well as maintaining his fantasy. Option 2 gives you more options for balance, more truth to his character and most importantly maintains his unique gameplay structure. Thanks for reading and please don’t ruin my champ. S